Communism Under Dai Grepher
by Elliot Pole
Summary: A kid named Jase dreams about the dictator that is Warrior Dai Grepher, who controls people with Cyber Dragon. Then he is invited to the Dominion of the Beasts, where he discovers that he himself is a monster. He must help in a revolution.
1. Chapter 1

Communism Under Dai Grepher

**Communism Under Dai Grepher**

**Chapter One**

"My most precious card is my Warrior Dai Grepher," Jase Farbey told his friend, Mack Olsen, at the tournament which was about to begin.

"Why's he so great? To me he's just a lame Vanilla monster."

"But he's a Warrior, and warriors have so much support that they are virtually indestructible," Jase replied, offended at Mack's insult to Dai Grepher.

"So? There are better Warriors that can turn him into mincemeat."

"Mack, you have no idea what Dai Grepher means to me. This one was given to me by a girl I loved, Morgan Black, and whenever he's destroyed in my duels, I become fierce out there and play like an E-Hero Wildman. If I could, I would try to get all the Dai Grephers in the world, so that I could be the master of my favorite warrior."

"Hold on a second," Mack said, before leaving to talk to some kid six feet away.

Ere long, Mack came back. He had sixteen Dai Grephers in his hand, causing Jase's eyes to bug out in exitement. "I traded my Dark Magician of Chaos for these, and if you want them, you have to give me your Delinquent Duo that you've been so obstinate about relinquishing."

"No! I can't give you Delinquet Duo! I had to give up my only Sacred Phoenix and my Divine Sword Phoenix Blade to get it!" Jase exclaimed, starting to get mad at his friend.

"Hold on," Mack said again, as he dashed off.

He returned this time with a Great Ox of Nephytys and a Divine Sword Phoenix Blade. "Now will you trade?"

But Jase was adamant and would not give in. "What if I throw in my fourth Cyber Dragon, which of course is useless to me?"

Jase couldn't resist the treat now, and they swapped cards, one Delinquet Duo for sixteen Warrior Dai Grephers, one Great Ox, one Divine Sword, and one Cyber Dragon.

Jase updated his deck then and there, before the tourney commenced.

It was not until the third duel that Jase drew Cyber Dragon. His opponent had only an Elemental Hero Sparkman and two face-down cards on the field. Jase summoned both Cyber Dragon and Warrior Dai Grepher. However, his opponent was ready, as he played Ultimate Offering, paid 1500 LP, Summoned Oppressed People, United Resistance and People Running About, then activated Huge Revolution. Jase lost the match.

That night, Jase had a dream involving Dai Grepher. But the first thing he saw was the humans shown on Oppressed People.

"Oh, I wish that I had a break from this back-breaking work," complained one of the people.

"We will, when its time to worship our master, the Dragon," said another.

The first speaker groaned. He hated the Dragon, though he thought that if he had met another dragon on the road, he would've loved it. But he was forced to praise and glorify this dragon, just as all his brothers and sisters were.

Suddenly, the peaceful sky became full of ominous clouds. A dragon made of metal could be seen flying in the air, with a figure sitting on its back, though the figure was indistinct. There was also a giant bee coming toward the oppressed people.

The three newcomers landed, and the bee, called Killer Needle, went over to one of the people and stung him square in the chest. The man died instantly.

A brawny man with burly muscles and wearing blue armor and a blue helmet, hopped off the dragon's back. "Now you know what happens when people betray me," the newcomer said, in a throaty, albeit forceful, voice.

"Bur Amalcante didn't betray you, sir Dai Grepher," one of the Oppressed People said.

"I assure you he did, telling our enemies the Harpies about my new training gym for Elemental Heros. Now the Harpies will request CHEMOL to expand their hunting grounds, so that my E-Heros will be forced to face more powerful enemies than they would've had to otherwise. War is imminent, and the man who was just slaughtered before your very eyes has made it all the more difficult for us to be victorious."

Some of the Oppressed People were muttering; they didn't particularly want Dai Grepher and his E-Heros to win the looming war.

"Now, it's time for the chant!"

When no one spoke, Dai Grepher said forceably, "Do you all want to die?"

One man said under his breath that he was sure that death would be a much better alternative to what they were coerced into doing, but the others commenced the chant they recited so often:

_Cyber Dragon is the best_

_The best monster there ever was_

_He's as divine as the Egyptian Gods_

_And it is for him that the bees all dance and buzz_

_Manticore of Darkness, Pyramid Turtle,_

_Giant Rat, Lady of Faith, Sand Moth,_

_The Portrait's Secret, and yes, even Invader of Darkness,_

_All wish they could bask in his glory and throw him flowers_

_Why, we are his servants,_

_And so we bow_

_To let Cyber Dragon know_

_That he's our number one master all the world round_

_We are insignificant_

_And Yet we are fortunate_

_For how many people get to say,_

_"We love you Cyber Dragon," and have him near to hear_

_He is glorious_

_To let us touch his rough scales_

_And to slam on our backs with his just tail_

_And to breathe on us with his dragon fire_

_Oh, Cyber, you are so kind_

_To protect us, and thrash us_

_And control us, and save us_

_From all the world's hurt and rudeness_

_And now we bow before our master_

_To take our punishment like a dog_

_For those of us who do not love Cyber_

_Shall pay with our heads and our wives_

_BOW! BOW! BOW BEFORE THE MIGHTY ANGEL_

_Who greets us in kindly fashion_

_BOW! BOW! BOW BEFORE THE MOST WONDROUS DRAGON_

_Made of metal, with a heart of gold!_

Warrior Dai Grepher was positively jubilant when he heard the song and watched as the people lay head toward the ground in reverence to Cyber Dragon.


	2. Chapter 2

Communism Under Dai Grepher

**Communism Under Dai Grepher **

**Chapter Two**

Jase woke with a start, feeling as though he had just swallowed a Des Frog. It had only been a dream, right? Duel Monsters was a game invented by ancient Egyptians, and Maximilian Pegasus had modernized it, but was it possible that the monsters represented on the cards were real? Nah, it couldn't be.

He went to school on what he thought would be a normal Monday—kids rowdy because they hadn't seen each other in three days; teachers droning and unable to elicit answers from students who hadn't done their homework over the weekend. And it started out that way. Nothing unusual. Kayla Silverstein was still obsessing about her hair; Bronx Martin pulled a prank or two before third period, and Rachel Whittaker poisoned the cafeteria food so that no one could eat a proper meal, except those who had brought their own lunches. The snack machines were raided. By the commencement of fifth period, nothing could be found in a snack or soda machine on campus. Several stomachs growled in Pre-Algebra. Then, in sixth period, he got a note saying that he was required to go to the assistant principal's office. He was grateful to get away from Mr. Yorrix discussing the Assyrian period in world history; the Assyrians had nothing to do with Jase. Yet he knew something must be wrong if the assistant principal wanted to see him. Leaving with a heavy heart, he walked away from the classroom he'd never see again.

Just as Jase was walking past the janitorial closet, thick slimy hands grabbed him. He attemped to break free, but it was no use. The hands pulled him into the closet, which smelled strongly of Palmolive and other cleansing liquids.

"Hello, human. Or should I call you by your proper name?" asked the creature who had snatched Jase out of the hallway.

Jase wondered what the creature could mean by his proper name. It did not help that a green creature with tiny red eyes was speaking to him. It looked like one of the orgs on a Power Rangers episode. He figured he must be hallucinating. Perhaps he was even still in Mr. Yorrix' classroom, woolgathering. Though his daydreams had never felt _this_ real.

"Neo, don't you remember anything? About your past?"

It took Jase a second to get courage to speak. "My past? Of course. I was born in a hospital in Seattle, and moved to Lurges Grange when I was ten. I have had many friends and fell in love with the game called Duel Monsters. And why are you calling me Neo?"

"Oh, gosh, Makkolo told me this had happened, but I never expected it," the creature said, putting his slimy hands on his forehead.

Suddenly, a high squeaky voice from nearby asked, "Is he here?"

Jase was so startled at this that he felt as though he were going to have a heart attack. A small pink being with a fat face wearing a suit of armor (but no helmet) jumped down from a shelf full of buckets of soapy water.

"Yes, I found him, Landstar," the green creature said. "But he doesn't know who he is."

"Sure I do," Jase insisted. "I'm Jase Farbey."

"No, I meant who you really are. Before you were killed by the Malicious Virus."

"I was killed?" Jase's mind swam in confusion. What on Earth was the green creature talking about?

The pink warrior spoke. "Whenever someone dies in the Dominion of the Beasts, they are reborn here in the human world. Only a scanty few humans are reborn monsters, but they don't know it. However, I've never met a bietsu before."

"What's a bietsu?"

"Oh, excuse me for not knowing your ignorance. A bietsu is an MIH, monster-into-human. You're the first bietsu I met. I hope the Witch of the Black Forest can change you back; no offence, but your appearance disturbs me."

Landstar gave him a look as if he were a Cockroach Knight. Then, like the speed of snapping his fingers, Jase realized these creatures must be telling him the truth. For he made so many Duel Monsters allusions when speaking with his friends, such as saying "He's as blind as Dark Bat," or "Cat of Ill Omen got your tongue?" They all stared at him as though he were crazy. If he were exposed to the world where these creatures lived, it would make more sense that he made such allusions.

"Do you believe us?" asked the green creature.

"I don't know. I have no memory of whatsoever living in the world of Duel Monsters—what did you call it?"

"Dominion of the Beasts."

"Yes, there. You're saying I was something called Neo?"

"Neo the Magic Swordsman, to be precise."

Jase was silent for a moment. "I'm him? Are you certain? Maybe you've mistaken me for someone else."

"No, there is no mistake," the green creature assured him. "You have the distinct aura of a bietsu. Rabid Horseman taught me how to recognize the scent of a MIH aura. There is only one other in this city who has this scent, and she's a girl."

"There's another bietsu nearby?" asked Landstar. "Are we going to fetch her, too?"

"Our orders were to bring Neo to our world. Gordofu and Ben Kai said nothing about needing help from Kola."

"Oh, it's just Kola. We can afford to lose _her," _Landstar said, a trifle contemptuously.

"Excuse me, who is Kola?" asked Jase.

"She's one of the three Dancing Fairies," the green creature replied. "The other two are Shamana and Naomi. Kola is not liked by our group; she betrayed Pikeru to the villains of Dark World."

"Pikeru? White Magician Pikeru?"

"That's the one," said Landstar. "She was such a shining figure of bright joy. The biggest optimist you ever met. Say, how'd you know her if you've forgotten everything?"

Jase blushed. "She's a Duel Monsters card," he said meekly.

"Card? What's a card?"

"Landstar, it's a game the humans play. You are one and I am one, and so are Dai Grepher (curse his name), Cyber Dragon, and Marauding Captain. Humans use them in battle and activate spells and traps to achieve victory. Mostly you have to whittle down an enemy's Life Points until they go from 9000 to 0, but when all seven pieces of Exodia are in a player's hand, they automatically win. Am I right, Neo?"

Jase almost couldn't keep from laughing, but he somehow managed to stifle his mirth. "Actually, we only have 4000 points at the start, and there are only five pieces of Exodia. Getting all five in your hand is rather difficult; seven would be impossible.

"I was certain Blade Rabbit told me that you needed Exodia's head, torso, abdomen, thorax, phlanges, metacarpals, liver, and pancreas." The green creature counted these on his fingers. "Wait, that _was_ seven, right?"

Jase looked at Landstar. The latter's glance indicated that the green creature was no good at math at all.

The green creature shook his head. "Oh, well, we've got to go to the Dominion. Are you ready?"

"Ready? No, of course not," said Jase. "If you think I'm leaving just because you think I'm the reincarnated spirit of Neo the Magic Swordsman, you're crazy! I have a life here, friends, a game I love—I'm not going with you without a reason."

"Neo, I don't think you understand. The Dominion is in grave danger. You may be a bietsu, but there are ways to change you back to your proper form, with all your memories intact. We could take you there. Trust me, you'll be happier once you've shed that disgusting human skin." The green creature shook in revulsion.

"What kind of danger are we speaking of?"

"Total war. Destruction of our very existence. We make become automatons, empty vessels with no souls, set to do Dai Grepher's bidding. Dai Grepher is training his E-Heroes in a gym; they will soon be too powerful to overcome. We must join the revolution the Harpie Ladies are setting up. Bietsu can really help us, especially powerful bietsu like you."

"I cannot believe I was ever powerful," Jase said. He didn't mention that he loathed Harpie Lady ever since he lost to them in a duel against a girl. This could be insulting to the verdant fellow, not to mention Landstar, who didn't like Jase's current appearance, and whom Jase felt he should definitely not offend.

"You were!" the green creature assured him. "You are what is called a Double Threat. You can both cast spells and fight with a sword; most monsters can only do one or the other."

"What are you talking about? I've never cast a spell in my life. If I had I would have done something to burn Marcus Goolie in the third grade when he threw a kickball at me, or made every chair Mrs. Olsteen, who taught my English class year, sit on feel like fire or ice."

"Ah, Neo, it pains me to hear you say such things. Becoming a human has made your heart evil. Your magic cannot do any evil, it is not fashioned for it. You can only do good with it. And, as to thinking you can't do magic, let's try this. Repeat after me: Billog franswa ommig."

"Billog franswi omnig," Jase attempted.

"No, try again. Billog franswa ommig."

It took Jase four times to get it right. When he did, he saw purple sparks float around the closet, and hit a mop leaning against one of the closet's sides. A second later the mop turned into a rake.

"See, you did it!" the green creature exclaimed.

"Not bad," said Landstar, who couldn't do magic himself and always took pleasure in others' skills.

Jase still wasn't convinced. He figured that the green creature might've done the magic himself. Then a bell sounded, announcing that the students should shift from sixth period to seventh. Landstar screamed at the noise; he had never heard something so disturbing in his life. The green creature clamped a slimy hand around his mouth to make him shut up, in fear that the students outside would hear and become curious. He needn't have bothered. The pupils of Conswabber High never noticed strange things happening around them. If a sniper came in the school and shot an entire classroom of students dead, nobody would fret with worry; they'd just dismiss as if it were an everyday occurrence. Everything was trivial with them.

Two more bells sounded before silence again reigned outside. The green creature let Landstar go.

"That was painful to the ears," Landstar said, rubbing this sensitive part of his anatomy.

"Neo, we won't force you, but we need you. Please come with us."

"But I don't even know who you are," Jase said, buying a little time for his decision. He was starting to get tempted; if he had really altered the mop into a rake, then perhaps there was a lot of magic to learn. It'd be more beneficial than being forced to cram with facts about who discovered radium and the dates of the Crimean War.

"Oh, pardon the delay in conveying that information to you," said the green creature. "I am Tartarus, known to you as King of the Swamp. I think you use it as a quick way to fuse in your game. At least that's what Blade Rabbit said."

"Pleased to meet you, Tartarus. And this little guy is Swordsman of Landstar, I suppose?"

"That's my name; don't wear it out! But call me Landstar, it saves a lot of time."

"You will come with us, won't you?" Tartarus asked.

"Well, I suppose…but can't I say goodbye to the people I'll never see again? Or will I see them again?"

Tartarus sighed. "No, you will not. From bietsu you will be reborn into your old form. The only way you can come back here will be to die again, but you'll start off as an infant, and grow again. You might be in Egypt or Puerto Rico or Alphard 4. When that no happens, no recollection of this life will remain."

Jase felt dismayed at this news. Could he really leave this world behind forever? The world he had known for the last fourteen years, to be swept away from him…it couldn't be. Yet, a world full of monsters, in a fight that would be good versus evil, that intrigued him. Why live on boring old Earth when you can inhabit the Dominion of the Beasts? But his girl, Morgan Black, would be left behind.

"I know that look!" said Landstar, who had deigned to watch him while waiting for an answer. "You have some mate you don't want to leave behind. Cheer up Neo; Freya's waiting for you."

"Freya, Spirit of Victory?"

"Indeed."

Jase smiled. He had had a crush on that card for the longest time. He wouldn't use it in his deck, but it was kept in his pocket. Pulling it out, he stared at it for a second. Landstar peered over his shoulder. "Wow, that's a startling likeness!"

"So, Jase, what do you say?" asked Tartarus again.

"You won't give me time to say goodbye?"

"Well, we could…but the only problem is that we have to hurry. The war will be commencing any week now. And if I have been hearing right, the time frame between this world and the Dominion of the Beasts is very skewy."

Jase thought for a second. "You said Dai Grepher started training his E-Heroes?"

"He's been training him for a while now."

"Last night I dreamt that he killed one of the Oppressed People. The name started with an A—I forget what it was exactly. But the man was murdered by a Killer Needle, for leaking information to the Harpies about the gym."

Tartarus stared. "You say you dreamt this last night?"

"Yes, why?"

"Amalcante was slaughtered weeks ago! He's considered a martyr for the revolution. We must return to the Dominion immediately; who knows how much time has elapsed!"

Tartarus muttered some incantation under his breath, and an opening appeared in the back of the closet. Jase saw iridescent colors shining through it. Tartarus and Landstar went in first, with Jase following tentatively. He took his last step on this world with a few regrets, but with an anticipation of bewilderment.

After seventh period ended, the janitor went to his closet and found a rake where he had sworn he put a mop that morning. He figured that some student had pulled a practical joke, and reported it to the assistant principal.


	3. Chapter 3

Communism Under Dai GrepherHe ha

**Communism Under Dai GrepherHe ha**

**Chapter Three**

Tartarus spoke after they had been walking for five minutes. "We approach the end of the Tunnel of Unification. When we reach the exit, you will see that we are at a remarkable height. Do not be alarmed; we are just to step off the edge, and we will be delivered to our destination by a special friend."

Jase saw the clear sky up ahead. But Tartarus' words did not prepare him for the sight when they came to the exit. They were so high up that all Jase could see below were clouds…no signs of cities or villages or islands or forests. Then Landstar jumped off, and Jase shouted out in alarm.

"Neo, he's all right," Tartarus assured him. "Garuda the Wind Spirit would never let anything happen to people who leave the tunnel the way Landstar did just now. He is sending him to the Castle of Light Illusions as we speak."

"Castle of _what _Illusions?" Jase asked, startled.

"Light," Tartarus replied. "I'm certain Blade Rabbit said you had a card just like it in your world."

"No, we have something called the Castle of _Dark _Illusions, and it has one of the strangest stats ever: 1930 DEF."

Tartarus didn't bother to ask what DEF was, though the abbreviation confused him. "Hmmm," he said, thoughfully. "Your world only has a dark version of our castle. How astonishing. But we'd best be going, Neo. Landstar will arrive a few minutes ahead of us, and if we don't get there shortly thereafter, he may be punished for our tarrying."

Without further ado, Tartarus launched himself off the end of the tunnel. He fell a great way before he disappeared.

Jase, left alone, did not know what to think. From his point of view, Tartarus and Landstar had just committed suicide. Yet, there appeared to be no other way out of this tunnel, unless he went back the way he had come, toward the gateway to Earth. But would the gateway still be opened? And what if Tartarus was punished because _he—_Jase, the bietsu—failed to show up on time? There was nothing else to do but hurl himself over the edge…

Jase felt a jolt as he plummeted for what seemed like hundreds of feet. A new fear entered his head—what if Garuda the Wind Spirit just let him fall because he was a bietsu and not a proper monster? (He fought hard to keep himself from thinking he was "human" instead of "bietsu," but then again, weren't being human and bietsu almost the same thing?) He even began to see shapes below—he saw something that resembled a skyscraper. Jase feared he'd hit it dead on. There'd be the end to Neo the Magic Swordsman, if he really were that famed monster.

And then, just when he feared the impact would definitely come—only a couple of feet separated him from the top of the skyscraper—he felt his body lifted in an updraft, as light as a feather. There were a flash of red wings on either side of him. He floated upward till he was quite a few yards above the skyscraper. Then it was as if he were on a moving sidewalk. His feet remained firm upon the air, and he was being H along in a straight line. The sensation at first nearly freaked him out, but at last he came to accept that no danger would find him here.

Things went on like this for twenty minutes or so. Then Jase spotted in the distance where Garuda was taking him. It was a castle floating in the sky, about two miles above the ground. Jase could see the minarets, and the lookout towers, and the drawbridge. He almost imagined there'd be a moat, but then thought better of it, for a castle in the sky could not possibly have anything that required water, save maybe an indoor swimming pool.

He was dropped right in front of the castle gates, on a very small stretch of land. Jase saw no sign of Tartarus or Landstar. But he did see a shadow moving toward him on the other side of the gate. It seemed to move as swiftly as a cheetah. It stopped four inches from Jase, and out of the shadow on the ground came a brown creature with six eyes and long talons.

"Who goes there?" asked the creature, viciously.

"P-please," Jase stammered. "G-Garuda brought me here. I was s-supposed to follow Tartarus and L-l-Landstar."

"Oh, so you're the bietsu? Welcome, then," the creature said. It turned around and slashed the gates, which fell to pieces. Then it walked through, turned around and beckoned for Jase to follow. The boy wondered why the gates had been ripped apart, for now any intruder could enter. Any intruder that could fly, that is. But when they reached the castle door, Jase looked back and saw the gate newly restored, as if nothing had happened to it.

The first thing Jase noticed about the door was that it had no handles. "Wait, here, for a sec," the brown creature said. He turned back into a shadow and slipped under the door. A couple minutes later, the door creaked open. Jase entered cautiously. He was afraid.

He stepped into a dimly lit vestibule. The shadow creature was nowhere in sight. At first Jase believed he was alone, but then he noticed a tiny ball rolling in the far corner. He could somehow tell that it was alive, though in the poor light he could not see its eyes. Trying to step toward it, the thing became startled and went fluttering up a flight of steps, which Jase first noticed when he advanced. He ran after it, not thinking this might be unwise. The stairs were oily. For the first time he realized that he wasn't wearing shoes or socks; they must've fallen off when Garuda carried him through the air. He wondered why he failed to notice this upon landing. Maybe it was the shock of standing in front of a magnificent castle, and then being afraid the shadow creature would attack him.

Jase nearly slipped several times, but grabbed onto the railing. He missed his shoes immensely. The stairs seemed to go on forever. He'd never reach the top…this was a fruitless journey…

But at last, when he was certain he could go no further, he reached the first landing, and collapsed.

When he came to, a woman was bent over him. He was in a bed with sheets of white linen. The woman saw his eyes were open, and exclaimed, "Bietsu, pruvont!"

Jase didn't know where he was, until he spotted a shield on the wall with a picture of Swordsman of Landstar's bright pink mug. This was the Dominion of the Beasts, then. He didn't recognize the woman…she had short, cropped, green hair and odd vestments. Then the real Landstar came in.

"Ah, so you're awake," Landstar said, gloomily.

"What's eating you?" Jase asked, as if they'd known each other for longer than twenty-four hours.

"I—shouldn't have been in such a haste to get here," Landstar replied. "The caretaker of the castle made certain I was punished for coming without the bietsu."

"But I'm here!"

"He didn't know that when I arrived. 'Don't believe anything I can't see with my own three eyes,'" he said.

"Maybe I should've come first, then," Jase lamented.

"No, no!" Landstar insisted. "If you had come first, you would most certainly have been killed. No one here has seen a bietsu before, you know…only I and Tartarus could verify your identity. Besides," he added, "you would not have trusted us that Garuda would carry you, until you had witnessed us jump ourselves. For all you could've guessed if we had instructed you to go first, our sole intention of kidnapping you was to watch you plummet to your death."

"Oh, yeah…" Jase said. He felt awkward. This seemed to be a very wary world. He remembered a quote he had heard once, perhaps in a film, "You either kill or be killed." With as much hope as he could muster, he tried to convince himself that this was _not _the law of the Dominion.

'Is Tartarus okay?" Jase asked.

"Oh, yes, but he was punished too, of course. We're very lucky Shadow Ghoul believed you were a bietsu. If Cyber-Tech Alligator had been standing guard, I doubt you'd be with us now."

A tiny fairy flittered into the room. She was no larger than Jase's thumb, but she was carrying something about three times the size of her body.

"Uh-oh," Landstar said. "Shot." He ran from the room.

"Is the bietsu ready for his vaccination?" the tiny fairy asked the green-haired woman.

"Bietsu scapulls vomins," said the latter.

The tiny fairy turned to Jase. He could make out that her hair was pink, though a lighter shade than Landstar's face. "I am going to give you a shot," she said. When he cringed, she tried to reassure him. "It is standard procedure. We don't want you infecting the rest of the castle, so we inject a small amount of Niwatori germs in your arm. Don't be afraid; it's not like you're going to lose your memory or anything." She laughed.

The green-haired woman pulled up Jase's sleeve, and rubbed his arm with carmoline oil. Then the tiny fairy asked if Jase was ready. He nodded, but turned his head away. The needle entered his arm, and he screamed. It felt a thousand times worse than getting a shot on Earth.

"Calm down!" the tiny fairy shouted. "I can't concrete if you aren't quiet! Darn, we have to start over again."

Jase wanted to hurl at the thought of repeating that experience. "Is their any way to—mitigate the pain?" he asked.

The tiny fairy thought for a moment. "We could try anesthetic candy, but the taste is rather bitter."

"I'll take it," Jase said.

The petite fairy gave instructions to the green-haired lady. Soon a soft candy was stuffed in Jase's mouth. It was a lot like a Now and Later, even in taste.

"Is it bitter?" the fairy asked.

"Not at all," Jase replied. "It's very sweet."

"Hmmm…that's strange, nobody I've ever administered it to has enjoyed it. Of course, I've never had a bietsu for a patient before." She giggled. "Now, it will take ten minutes for its effects to be operating, so I will wait until then to readminister the shot."

At that moment, Tartarus barged in. "Ah, Neo, you've just had your shot?"

"No, Tar-Tar, he couldn't handle the pain," explained the fairy. "We have given him anesthetic, and he should be ready to take it again shortly."

Jase almost guffawed at the nickname "Tar-Tar," but stifled his laughter. Tartarus and Landstar were the only people he knew in this world, and it wouldn't be a good idea to tick them off.

"I'm sorry about your punishment," Jase said, sympathetically.

"Don't mention it," said Tartarus. "The important thing is that you're here. We can meet Makkolo once you've been vaccinated."

"I must caution you about that Tar-Tar. You know the Niwatori germs need twenty-five minutes to settle."

"Oh, yeah, I nearly forgot. But it's extremely important that Neo meets Makkolo A.S.A.P."

"I understand that, Tar-Tar, but you can't rush medical necessities."

Tartarus asked the green-haired lady something in words Jase didn't understand. The woman left the room briefly and returned with a chair, which Tartarus promptly sat in.

"Well, I think the anesthetic should be working by now," said the fairy. She picked up the needle, which she had set on a table by Jase's bed earlier. The woman reapplied the carmoline oil, Jase shut his eyes tightly, and the needle pierced his arm once again.

This time, he only felt a tiny prick. There was no pain, but he did feel odd. It was as though a ton of robots were running through his body. Before he knew it, the shot was over.

"Wait half-an-hour, Tar-Tar," the fairy cautioned, before leaving the room.

"So, who is Makkolo?" Jase asked Tartarus, trying to ignore the feeling that microbes were crawling inside him.

"He is the most knowledgable monster about bietsu. Somehow he can tell when a monster dies where on Earth he will end up, if his destiny is to become a bietsu."

"Vaga onus," said the woman with green-hair.

"Or she," Tartarus added, apparently translating what the woman had said.

"So not all monsters become bietsu when they die?"

"Oh, no, only the ones who die with what I believe Makkolo calls _sui generis, _but I may have my terms mixed up. If a guard walked in here and killed me now, it is doubtful—highly improbable, in fact—that I would be reborn as a bietsu. Again, Makkolo is the best person to learn from about all this. I do wish the Niwatori germs worked faster; time is of an essence."

Jase thought about asking Tartarus about his shoes, but decided not to, after all. Tartarus didn't seem to know that much about the human world; the concept of "shoes" might baffle him. Though many Duel Monsters must've had shoes; at least the ones that resembled people. He tried to catch a glimpse of the green-haired woman's feet, but they were hidden from his position on the bed; he was propped by pillows that raised his head too high to catch sight of her feet.

"Uh, Tartarus, when I was let in by the Shadow Ghoul, I saw a round creature come up the stairs and followed it. What was it?"

"Round?" Tartarus asked. "How large was it?"

"About a foot high."

Tartarus thought for a moment. "It was probably Winged Marmot."

"Oh."

They were both silent for a while, till at last the microbes in Jase's body gave no more perceptible motion. Tartarus stood up. "Well, it's been half an hour, and I reckon its time you met Makkolo."

Jase pushed off the sheets that were covering him and almost stepped out of bed, but the woman stopped him. She said something in her awkward tongue, then left the room.

"She went to fetch you some footwear," Tartarus said, not bothering to resume his seat. "It won't be but a minute before she returns."

When the green-haired lady came back, she placed sandals on the floor. "Blanca, Vae," Tartarus said, as Jase slipped his feet into the sandals. Then the latter two left the room.

They were in a dark passageway, with a few doors along the walls. Tartarus told Jase to stay closely behind him. Jase heard manic laughter coming from behind some doors as he passed them, and these sounds spooked him so much that he began hyperventilating.

"Why are you breathing so hard?" Tartarus asked, as they came into a lit hallway.

"Noises" was the only word Jase managed to choke out.

At that moment, the pink-haired fairy appeared. "Tar-Tar, wait!"

"_What?" _Tartarus snapped. "Oh, sorry, Lily, I didn't notice you there for a sec. Excuse my rudeness."

"It's okay, Tar-Tar. But the bietsu—he's hyperventilating."

"Do you have a quick cure? Makkolo doesn't like to be kept waiting…"

"Yes, I think a couple of Calming Lozenges should do the trick." She pulled two tablets out of a white sack by her side. "Open wide," she told Jase, who complied. The lozenges were put in his mouth, and instantly he felt better.

"Thank you," he said.

"It's my job," Lily said simply, before fluttering away.

"Well, now that _that _delay has been taking care of, we should really get a move on."

Jase followed Tartarus in silence. Luckily they passed no more doors with horrible laughter…the journey was rather eerily quiet. Finally, after they had been traveling for what seemed like hours, they reached a door that was slightly ajar. Tartarus entered it, with Jase closely in his wake.


End file.
